Topics at a glance: LASERS IN DENTISTRY: New course, study club attract the curious … AAE Foundation awards $100K grant for endowed professorship at UTDB … SAVE THE DATE: Hispanic Dental Association Meeting Oct. 22-24 in Houston … ASDFE invites Greer to conference in Chicago … Hurst treated to “Roast and Toast” at Petroleum Club …

LASERS IN DENTISTRY: New course, study club attract the curious

As students watch, Dr. Chuck Hoopingarner demonstrates the laser’s effect on tissue of a lamb’s jaw. He is a board member of the Academy of Laser Dentistry.

Laser technology in dentistry is a fast-growing field, and The University of Texas Dental Branch is emerging as a leader in offering laser training for students and residents. The effort took hold during the summer with two new offerings: an elective course in laser dentistry for rising fourth-year dental students, and the Laser Dentistry Study Club, open to everyone who wants to learn more about lasers. When the new elective course was offered at UTDB for the first time this summer, the enrollment limit had to be increased to accommodate demand.

In addition to incorporating CT technology and CAD-CAM digital impressions, the laser dentistry course covers all clinical applications of lasers, including diagnostics, prosthodontics, pediatrics, orthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, implants, periodontics, tissue interaction, notable aspects of the history and physical, research and the future of laser technology. Assistant Professor Ali Obeidi, D.D.S., of the Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials, is the course director and impetus behind the club, and he credits several other faculty members for the project’s success. FULL STORY.

AAE Foundation awards $100K grant for UTDB endowed professorship

John Ludington, D.D.S.		Frank B. Trice, D.D.S.

The AAE (American Association of Endodontists) Foundation has awarded its first Endowed Faculty Matching Grant to the Department of Endodontics at The University of Texas Dental Branch. The $100,000 contribution will fully fund the John R. Ludington Jr., D.D.S., M.S.D. Distinguished Professorship in Endodontics.

The Ludington Professorship is the first of two endowments being created in support of the Department of Endodontics. More than $150,000 has been given or pledged to the Trice Fund, which has a goal of $500,000 in memory of the late Frank B. Trice, D.D.S., who was the first chair of the Department of Endodontics. FULL STORY.

SAVE THE DATE:
Hispanic Dental Association Meeting Oct. 22-24 in Houston

Registration is currently under way for the Hispanic Dental Association’s 17th Annual Meeting Oct. 22-24 at the Hilton Americas-Houston Hotel, where the theme will be “Launching Solutions for Optimal Hispanic Oral Health.” Activities will include a gala, up to 14.5 hours of continuing education offerings, poster presentations, exhibits, a silent auction and presentation of the 2009 Colgate-Palmolive Student and Faculty Recognition Awards, and the student chapter awards, the Procter and Gamble Orgullo Award. More information is available at 800-852-7921.

The annual meeting’s co-chairs are HDA President-Elect Victor Rodriguez, D.D.S., (UTDB ‘95) and Clinical Assistant Professor Margo Melchor, R.D.H., who is the current HDA vice president and the UTDB-Hispanic Student Dental Association faculty advisor. Fourth-year dental student Iven Gonzalez is the national HDA student trustee and is playing an integral part in organizing the student portion, workshops and activities along with the other HSDA members from UTDB.

UTDB is supporting the conference by sponsoring the welcome reception, and Interim Dean John A. Valenza, D.D.S., has agreed to be one of three panel speakers on Friday, Oct. 23 for a discussion of “Workforce, Diversity and Education.” Other panelists will include Lewis N. Lampiris, D.D.S., M.P.H.; and Ivonne Ganem, D.M.D., M.P.H.

John T. Greer

ASDFE invites Greer to conference in Chicago

John T. Greer, director of development at the UT Dental Branch, attended a retreat and planning session in Chicago Aug. 23-24 by special invitation of the American Society of Dental Foundation Executives.

Barkley Payne, executive director of the American Dental Association Foundation, identified Greer as an ASDFE member whose perspective could be extremely valuable to the group at they considered goals, objectives, continuing education offerings and the organization’s mission.

Thomas Hurst, D.D.S.

Hurst treated to “Roast and Toast” at Petroleum Club

In honor of his service as Supreme Grand Master (National President) of Delta Sigma Delta International Dental Fraternity, friends and colleagues of Thomas L. Hurst, D.D.S., surprised him earlier this summer with a “Roast and Toast” dinner at The Petroleum Club in Houston.

Hurst, of Pearland, is a retired prosthodontist whose career included more than 30 years with the U.S. Navy, followed by nearly 23 years at the UT Dental Branch, where he was a tenured associate professor and former chair of the Department of Prosthodontics. Hurst is the inventor of the “Diver’s Denture.” From 1987 to 1995, he directed the graduate prosthodontics program at UTDB.

The tribute was organized by Dr. Charles Campbell, treasurer, and Dr. Shelley Canada, grand master of the East Texas Graduate Chapter of Delta Sigma Delta.